


Plus Qrow

by AniPendragon



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi, Some Light Spoilers, Swearing, Unrequited Love, headcanons abound
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-18
Updated: 2016-02-18
Packaged: 2018-05-21 12:32:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6051699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AniPendragon/pseuds/AniPendragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometime in third year, Team STRQ became Team STR plus Qrow. Qrow wasn’t bitter. Not at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Plus Qrow

**Author's Note:**

> Now, enjoy the angst.

Team STRQ was Beacon’s shining image of everything a powerful hunting team should be. They’d been tossed into the deep end – sink or swim style – in first year when a Grimm invasion had busted through the city defenses where they’d been stationed. After an incredible victory, Team STRQ had been thrust into fame. They were the aces. The golden children. The powerhouses.

Summer, their leader, was as powerful as she was beautiful. A slip of a woman whose gaze was rumoured to stop Grimm cold in their tracks. Her best friend, Raven, was the tallest member of their team (though that was because she wore heels), and a dangerous player. Her sword could cleave through bone and Grimm in one fell swoop, regardless of aura and semblance. Taiyang was the golden boy – boisterous and loud and grinning all at once. His bare-knuckle fighting style, combined with his nigh-indestructibility, made him a powerhouse on the battlefield.

Then there was Qrow. Rail thin, often in shadows, and terrifying with his sword-scythe. In second year, he’d gotten into a fight with students from Atlas and had put their entire team in the hospital. No one had questioned him after that.

They were a golden team. But, more than that, they were friends. They were family.

Until third year tore it all apart.

On a clear morning, Qrow was flipping through pictures of birds on his scroll. Raven had taken to sending them to him, and he’d always like their silly captions.

“Qrow?” It was Summer’s voice, soft and high, that alerted him to the rest of his team. Sure, he’d known they were there, but he hadn’t realized they wanted to talk to him.

Setting aside his scroll with a frown – he’d never seen Summer look this pensive off the battlefield – he sat up straight. “What’s up?” he asked. His tongue darted out to lick his lips.

Summer tugged at her hood. Fingers twitching like she wanted to pull it up. Her gaze went to Raven, who looked at Taiyang, who fidgeted and rubbed one of his arms.

“Um,” said Tai.

“Well,” said Summer.

“We’re dating,” said Raven. Qrow raised an eyebrow. His gaze went around the three, trying to figure out who “we” meant.

“All three of us,” said Summer, nibbling on her lower lip. She wouldn’t meet his gaze. “The three of us are together.”

Qrow blinked. “Oh.”

“Is uh, is that okay?” asked Taiyang. Taiyang brushed his hair out of his face and Qrow felt a pang low in his gut. Not a nice one, either. More like a sharp stab that threatened to keel him over. _Was it okay?_

“’Course it’s okay,” said Qrow, rolling his eyes. He ignored the way the pain spread up into his chest and clenched his heart. Waved them off with a grin. “Should’ve known you three would work something out. You two have been pining after Tai since what, second year?” He chuckled, hoping the sound didn’t sound as hollow to them as it did to him.

He stood, clapped a hand on Tai’s shoulder. Tried not to think how nice the warmth and muscle felt beneath his hand. Kept walking toward the door and shoved his hands into his pockets.

“Qrow,” said Summer. He paused, turned. She smiled up at him, tiny and wide-eyed. “You know this doesn’t change anything about the team, right?”

“’Course,” said Qrow. He managed a shadow of his typical lopsided smirk. “I’m gonna get some dinner.” He turned and raised an arm in goodbye. “Have fun.”

He stuffed his hands back in his pockets and kept walking. Didn’t bother heading to the cafeteria. He wasn’t hungry. He just needed some air.

Of _course_ they were all together. It made sense. Summer looked at Raven like she hung the stars in the night sky. Looked at Tai like he could blot out all the darkness in the world. Tai had been besotted for god only knows how long. Raven? Well, he’d never really pegged his twin’s swooning. But she was protective of Summer and put up with Tai’s puns, so that was something.

Qrow sighed as he got outside and leaned against the building.

“Fuck,” he shouted, banging his head back into the wall. Pain swelled around the spot. Tears spotted his eyes. Perfect. Now he was a wimp as well as a love struck fool.

He closed his eyes, but Tai’s expression – hopeful and loving as he looked between Raven and Summer – swam up to greet him. Qrow opened his eyes. Transformed. Flew off.

He’d deal with this later.

* * *

 

He didn’t deal with it later.

Months passed. First semester turned into second and summer turned into fall. The Vytal Festival arrived – the only one Qrow would see in his time at Beacon.

And Team STRQ had never been better. Or so the others thought.

Raven, Summer, and Taiyang went on dates every week. They cuddled and giggled and slept in puppy piles. They sexiled Qrow on multiple occasions – with Summer being the only one who ever seemed apologetic about it. The trio got better at fighting together.

And Qrow? Qrow made friends with a flask and a bottle. Got to know the bartenders in town.

“I just don’t get why he loves _them_ and not _me_ ,” he’d slurred once to a bartender. The guy had patted his shoulder and offered him a sympathetic ear.

“He doesn’t know what he’s missing,” the bartender had said. “You seem like a great guy.” A week later, Qrow had slept with the guy. Nearly broke the guy’s bed in the process.

It hadn’t helped. He hadn’t gone back to that bar since.

Which sucked, because he’d liked that bar. But he couldn’t stand the thought of going back. Of talking to the bartender and trying to sort out what had happened that night. It had been a moment of weakness. The guy was blond, but his eyes had been green.

But in the dark of the bedroom, he’d been able to forget that, for a little while. Which just made the guilt that came afterwards even worse.

So now the Vytal Festival was upon them, and while the rest of the team was getting along great, Qrow had never been worse.

“Hey, Qrow,” said Taiyang. Qrow looked up from where he was sitting in the window sill. Regretted it immediately when he saw Taiyang’s exuberant eyes. They were blue as blue could be. Blue enough to make Qrow want to sing poetry about those eyes.

“We’re going to go check out the arena,” said Taiyang, grinning. “You wanna come with?”

Qrow shook his head. Draped one arm over a raised knee. “Nah, I’m good. Have fun on your date.”

Taiyang frowned and it was too puppy-like for Qrow to stand. “It’s not…”

Then Raven was shouting from the hallway and Taiyang was grinning again. And there was a pit in Qrow’s stomach as he gave a two fingered salute to Taiyang’s retreating figure.

Taiyang was happy, wasn’t that what mattered?

But no. Taiyang wasn’t happy with _him_ and that was all Qrow’s mind seemed to care about.

He wasn’t bitter, he thought, bitterly, staring at his bitter expression in the window’s reflection. No, he wasn’t bitter at _all_.

* * *

 

They barely survived the doubles round. The first round had been easy – as bitter and off-balance Qrow was, the rest of the team was on _fire_. But then the doubles round had been him and Summer versus some stuffy assholes from Atlas.

Hot assholes, but assholes nonetheless.

And Qrow, still reeling from walking in on Summer and Taiyang making out earlier that day, hadn’t been on his best game. He’d been sloppy, off-balance, and had gotten himself knocked out by some dick with a white coat and a pistol.

A pistol! Not even a fancy weapon. Just a fucking pistol!

If it hadn’t been for Summer, who had just flat out stolen his scythe after her own weapon had been knocked out of the arena, and swung it around hard enough and fast enough to blast both of the Atlas assholes out of the arena, they would have lost. And it would have been Qrow’s fault.

As it stood, he was getting a lecture anyway.

“What is up with you today?” asked Tai once they were out of the arena. Qrow leaned against the back of the noodle booth and scowled. He didn’t meet Tai’s gaze.

“We won,” said Raven, shrugging. “Whoopie. Doesn’t mean dick all if we’re getting humiliated in the process.”

Tai nodded. Qrow only barely caught it through his bangs. “They were _Atlas_ , Qrow. _Atlas_.”

“I know,” snapped Qrow. “The fuck do you want from me? We won. Summer’s going into the singles. I can’t fuck up anymore.”

Summer sighed, her eyes soft. “That’s not the point, Qrow. The point is that we want to know what’s wrong.”

Qrow rolled his eyes. “All ganging up on me, are we?” he snapped. “Ain’t this a treat?” He shoved passed Tai and Summer, who didn’t bother to stop him. He caught the hurt in Summer’s eyes. The frustration in Tai’s. He didn’t know what Raven looked like. She was at his back.

“Qrow, come on,” Taiyang called after him. Qrow kept walking, head down, hands in his pockets.

They didn’t need him. He didn’t know why they’d even bothered to drag his ass to doubles.

* * *

 

Summer cornered him after finals. They were champions. Summer was a goddess to the people of Vale. But hey, what else was new?

“Qrow,” she said. He looked up. The dorm had been empty when he’d gotten back. He’d thought they were out “celebrating”. Something that Tai said, mostly with wiggling eyebrows. Ugh.

“What?” he said. His voice was sharp, frustrated. He wouldn’t meet her gaze. Looked over Summer’s cloak covered shoulder instead.

She sat down on the bed closest to the window sill. Didn’t touch him. He probably would have jumped anyway.

“What’s wrong?” she asked. And god, the way she asked it. All soft, non-judgemental tones. All wide, hopeful eyes and pursed, sympathetic lips. He had to look away. Stare out the window and catch his own haggard, sleep deprived reflection.

How did he tell her – _her,_ his best friend, his _partner_ – that he was in love with her boyfriend?

“Nothing,” he said.

“Bullshit,” said Summer. Qrow jumped. Turned and stared at Summer with wide eyes. When the hell had she started swearing? That was his thing. Sometimes Raven’s. But never, _ever_ , Summer’s.

“I’m your team leader,” started Summer. Her shoulders went tense and she scowled at him. “Not only that, but I’m your friend – your _partner_. I know when something’s bothering you. And something’s been bothering you for months.” She stood, only barely taller than him, still sitting in the window sill. “So you can tell me, or I can put you on the bench.”

Qrow growled and stood. Towered over his tiny partner and let every inch of his anger roll up to the surface. She didn’t flinch.

“Go the fuck ahead!” he shouted. “It’s not like you need me anyway. You three are doing _fine_ on your own.”

And just like that, he saw the realization in Summer’s eyes. “We’re leaving you out.”

“Summer.”

“No,” said Summer, she stepped back to avoid his reaching hands and eyes. “Ever since we told you we were a couple, we’ve been leaving you out, haven’t we?”

“That’s not the point.”

Summer’s eyes narrowed. “Haven’t we?”

Qrow sighed. “Yes.” The anger slid out of him like a deflating balloon. “But that’s not the point.”

“Then what is, Qrow?” asked Summer. She reached toward him. This time, it was Qrow’s turn to dance back from her. Some of his anger returned. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth.

“Because he picked you!” he shouted. “Because _I’m_ supposed to be his friend. I was there for everything. I made him twice the fighter he was when he got here and was _always there_. But he picked you and my sister.”

“And not you,” finished Summer. And fuck, the pity in her voice made him want to scream.

But he deflated again. His shoulders and hands trembling. “Yeah. Not me.” He let out a low, self-deprecating laugh. “Never me.”

Summer said nothing. Qrow said nothing. A thousand things hung unsaid between them. A thousand questions. A thousand words. A thousand meaningless comforts.

Summer walked to the door, laid one hand on the doorjab, and stopped. “I’m sorry.” And then she was gone.

Qrow curled back up in the window sill and pretended he wasn’t crying.

* * *

 

Qrow spent graduation alone, drinking overpriced shots in a bar that was far too fancy for him. It took him ten minutes – too long, far too long – to realize someone was watching him. When he turned, he saw a man with green hair, sipping something pink, across the bar.

Qrow scowled at him, hoping to get the man to piss off. Instead, the man’s gaze – half hidden by round glasses – slid across Qrow. Turning, Qrow caught sight of the one and only Ozpin.

“Hello, Qrow,” said Ozpin. Qrow stared, eyes wide. “May I sit?”

Qrow managed a weak nod.

“It’s your graduation today, isn’t it?” asked Ozpin. He held up a finger to the bartender, who went to get Ozpin a drink.

Qrow nodded. “How’d you know that?”

“I’ve been watching you,” said Ozpin. He took the offered green drink from the bartender and sipped it. The swirling fluid reflected off his dark glasses, partially obscuring Ozpin’s eyes for a moment. “You’re talented.”

Qrow snorted. “My team’s better.”

“Ms. Rose is,” replied Ozpin, casually. “But the others are not.”

Qrow narrowed his eyes. “What do you want? And who’s the dog?” His gaze went to the green haired man, who was sipping at his drink and reading _The Third Crusade._

“Bart,” said Ozpin. “And he’s not a dog, he’s my partner. And a good man at that.”

Qrow shrugged. Downed his shot and signalled for another. “Whatever.” Ozpin was spooky, but he was getting too drunk to care.

“What I want, Qrow, is to talk to your team,” said Ozpin.

“Not my team,” said Qrow.

Ozpin tilted his head to one side. “No. But if you were to say you wanted to talk to me, Summer would listen.”

“And why would I do that?” asked Qrow. He tossed back his new shot and signalled for another.

Ozpin planted a hand over the next one. Qrow scowled at him.

“Ask your partner what she knows about silver eyes,” said Ozpin, simply. He removed his hand, stood, and walked off with his cane. Out of the corner of his eye, Qrow saw Bart close his book, stand, and leave with Ozpin.

Qrow rolled his eyes and tossed back another shot. Damn creepy men.

* * *

 

Her name was Yang Xiao Long, and she was beautiful. Maybe Qrow was biased, because she _was_ his niece, but damn if it wasn’t true.

He cradled the newborn in his arms, eyes flicking between Yang and Raven, who was half asleep in her hospital bed. Taiyang and Summer sat on either side of Raven’s bed, each holding one of her hands. Taiyang was stroking Raven’s hair, and Summer was smiling up at Qrow.

“She’s beautiful,” said Qrow, softly. His gaze went to Tai. “Looks just like you.”

Taiyang smiled at Qrow, his eyes soft. Qrow felt his stomach flip-flop, but the feeling was largely lost in his moment of contentment.

He passed Yang to Raven, who pulled her hands from her lovers’ to pick up her baby.

Summer sighed. “We’re parents.”

“Yeah,” said Tai. He reached out and rested his hand on Summer’s. “We are.”

Qrow watched the three for a minute, who smiled and cooed over Yang. The moment he’d let go of Yang, he’d been forgotten. With a soft sigh, Qrow reached for his flask and headed out of the room. Ozpin probably had work for him anyway.

* * *

 

Raven was gone. And not one of them knew where she was. The only thing keeping Summer and Taiyang from going after her was that Summer was eight months pregnant.

“Dada, dada,” cooed Yang, holding up her arms to Taiyang. Tai smiled and lifted up his squealing toddler.

“You sure you can’t find her?” Tai asked Qrow.

Qrow shrugged, leaning against the wall, and pulled out his flask. Swallowed hard and stuffed it back in his pocket.

“If Raven doesn’t wanna be found, she won’t be, you and I both know that,” said Qrow.

Tai sighed. “I know. But Summer and I… we’re worried.”

“And you think I’m not?” asked Qrow, unable to keep the annoyance out of his voice. “She’s my twin.”

Tai frowned. “You never seemed to care before.”

“Of course I-” He stopped short at Yang’s wide eyed expression. Dropped his voice from a shout to a hoarse whisper. “Of course I care. I’ve always cared. Not that you ever noticed.”

Tai flinched, hard. But he didn’t seem surprised. Qrow went rigid.

“How long have you known?” asked Qrow, his voice low and terrified.

Tai set down Yang and she toddled off. He straightened, rubbing the back of his neck. Refused to meet Qrow’s eyes.

“Three or four years.”

Qrow scowled, turned, and headed for the door.

“Qrow!”

“You’re a fucking asshole, Tai,” snarled Qrow, not looking back. “I’ll go find my god damn sister for you. Then we’re done – all of us. And I want nothing to do with Team STR.”

The door slammed on his way out. Tai didn’t try to stop him.

Qrow pretended he didn’t stumble, vision blurred from unshed tears, as he leaped into the air and flew off.

* * *

 

He never found Raven. He searched for months, but he never found Raven. He hadn’t been lying to Taiyang – when one of them wanted to disappear, they couldn’t be found.

Both a curse and a blessing, much like everything else.

Of course, him saying that didn’t stop Summer. And so she walked out of the house when Ruby Rose, his second niece, was only six months old.

And she walked right into a trap the enemy had set.

The funeral was beautiful, if funerals could be called such things. Qrow cradled Ruby in his arms and let Yang cling to his leg. Taiyang sobbed into the open casket. In less than three years, he’d lost both his wives.

Where was the justice in that?

* * *

 

That night, with Ruby and Yang asleep in their rooms – they were too young to understand, Yang just kept asking when Mom was coming home and god, that hurt. That hurt a lot. – Qrow stepped into Taiyang’s room to see how the man was holding up.

Tai was staring at a picture of the whole team, tears in his eyes. He sniffled, lip trembling. He looked up at Qrow, his pain bare.

Hesitantly, Qrow crossed the room and sat down on the bed next to him. Slipped an arm around Tai’s shoulders and held him tightly.

After a time, Tai set down the picture and shifted his body to face Qrow.

“Please,” breathed Tai, his breath ghosting over Qrow’s lips. “I just. I need to feel _something_.” And Tai kissed him. Tight and desperate and a little bit salty. And Qrow, damned as he was, kissed Tai back. Deep and hot and everything he ever wanted – but not like this. Never like this.

And he crawled into Tai’s lap and shoved him backwards onto the bed, kissing the life out of him. His hands found Tai’s shirt buttons, as sure as Tai’s were shaking. And even though his mind screamed that this was so, so wrong, his body was telling him that it felt so, _so_ right. And he couldn’t bring himself to care about the split.

And for a time, in the darkness of the bedroom, Qrow finally got what he wanted, and Tai managed to forget, for a while.

* * *

 

Qrow didn’t disturb Tai as he crept out of bed at dawn. He pulled on his discarded clothes in silence and set his sword-scythe on his back, beneath his cape.

As he left the room, he paused long enough to look back at Tai. There was a pain, low in his belly. A pain that told him that this wasn’t what he wanted. That he’d taken advantage of his grieving friend. That he’d ruined all they’d had.

And there was another pain, one that didn’t care. One that had liked being Tai’s, even if only for just one night.

And as Qrow left the house, bleary eyed and stumbling, he knew they’d never be the same. He knew he was going to wonder if what had happened last night was right or wrong for the rest of his life.

And he knew, as sure as he knew that Summer was dead, that he wouldn’t – couldn’t – come back for a long, long time.


End file.
